Wikipedia

Darren Millar

For similarly named people, see Darren Miller (disambiguation).

Darren David Millar (born 1976) is a Welsh Conservative politician who has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Clwyd West since 2007.[2]

Darren Millar
MS
Millar in 2021
Shadow Minister for the Constitution and North Wales
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 May 2021
LeaderAndrew RT Davies
Preceded byMark Isherwood North Wales
Welsh Conservative Chief Whip
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 May 2021
LeaderAndrew RT Davies
Preceded byMark Isherwood
In office
18 September 2018 – 23 January 2021
LeaderPaul Davies
Preceded byPaul Davies
Succeeded byMark Isherwood
Past Shadow Cabinet Roles
Shadow Minister for External Affairs and International Relations
In office
18 September 2018 – 23 January 2021
LeaderPaul Davies
Shadow Minister for Education
In office
6 April 2017 – 18 September 2018
LeaderAndrew RT Davies
Paul Davies Interim
Preceded byAngela Burns
Succeeded bySuzy Davies
Shadow Minister for Health
In office
18 May 2011 – 5 May 2016
LeaderPaul Davies Interim
Andrew RT Davies
Preceded byNick Ramsay
Succeeded byRhun ap Iorwerth
Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport
In office
26 November 2010 – 18 May 2011
LeaderNick Bourne
Preceded byDavid Melding
Succeeded byNick Ramsay Economy
Byron Davies Transport
Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government
In office
27 February 2009 – 26 November 2010
LeaderNick Bourne
Preceded byNick Ramsay
Succeeded byJonathan Morgan
Shadow Minister for the Environment and Planning
In office
29 June 2007 – 27 February 2009
LeaderNick Bourne
Preceded byGlyn Davies
Succeeded byAngela Burns
Member of the Senedd
for Clwyd West
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 May 2007
Preceded byAlun Pugh
Majority3,685 (13.0%)
Personal details
Born1976 (age 47–48)
NationalityBritish, Irish[1]
Political partyWelsh Conservatives
Residence(s)Kinmel Bay, Conwy, Wales
Websitewww.darrenmillar.wales

Political career

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From 2000 to 2001, Millar was mayor of the township of Towyn and Kinmel Bay.[3] He was also a member of Conwy County Borough Council, the North Wales Police Authority and the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.[3] In 2006, while a member of Conwy Council, Millar was referred to the standards watchdog, after complaints from the Unite, Unison and GMB trade unions about comments he made alleging that staff were abusing or misusing the sick pay system.[4]

In the 2003 Senedd election, he stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for the Vale of Clwyd.[5]

In the 2007 election, Millar was elected to the Clwyd West seat, unseating the incumbent Labour MS, Alun Pugh. Pugh was the only Cabinet Minister to be defeated in the election.[6]

Millar was re-elected in the 2011,[7] 2016[8] and 2021 elections.

After his election in 2007, Millar was appointed Shadow Minister for Environment and Planning by Nick Bourne.[9] He served in this role until February 2009, when he was moved to be Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government.[10] In November 2010, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport.[11][12]

After his re-election in 2011, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Health by interim leader Paul Davies.[13][14] He retained this role after Andrew RT Davies was elected leader and formalised the interim Shadow Cabinet, and throughout the remainder of the term.[15] After the 2016 Senedd elections, Millar was appointed Welsh Conservative education spokesperson, as Plaid Cymru became the Official Opposition.[16] In April 2017, he became Shadow Minister for Education, as the Welsh Conservatives returned to opposition.[17]

Millar was discussed as a candidate to replace Andrew RT Davies at the 2018 Welsh Conservatives leadership election, but he did not contest the election.[18] After Paul Davies was elected as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Millar was appointed as Welsh Conservative Chief Whip, Welsh Conservative Policy Director, and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs and International Relations.[19]

In January 2021 the Senedd Commission investigated Millar for an alleged breach of COVID-19 regulations.[20] He resigned from his frontbench roles on 23 January 2021 after the leader Paul Davies resigned on the same day.[21] Both Millar and Davies were later cleared of any wrongdoing by South Wales Police, Cardiff City Council, the Senedd Commission and the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee. In April 2022 a report published by the Senedd Standards Committee found that no laws or standards of conduct had been breached.[22]

He returned to the role of Chief Whip in May 2021, after the 2021 Senedd election, alongside a role as Shadow Minister for the Constitution and North Wales.[23]

He is a former member of the Senedd's Sustainability Committee, and a former Chair of the Senedd's Health, Well-being and Local Government Committee.[citation needed] In November 2010 Millar was elected as Chair of the Senedd's Public Accounts Committee. Millar also Chairs the Cross Party Group on Faith, and the Cross Party Group on the Armed Forces and Cadets, both of which he is a founder member.[citation needed]

He was one of four Conservative MSs (along with Andrew RT Davies, Janet Finch-Saunders and Mark Isherwood) to vote for Brexit in the 2016 Brexit referendum.[24][25][26]

Millar has been drawn to table a Members' Bill on three occasions.

In 2024, Millar tabled a non-binding motion of no confidence in First Minister Vaughan Gething, over donations made during the 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election and the sacking of former Social Partnership Minister Hannah Blythyn.[27] The motion passed 29-27. Gething described the motion as a 'gimmick' and said he would remain as First Minister.[28]

In November 2023, he had been selected as the Conservative Party prospective parliamentary candidate for the new constituency of Clwyd North at the 2024 general election.[29] He came second, losing to the Labour candidate by 1,196 votes.[30]

Personal life

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Millar lives in the Kinmel Bay area with his wife and two children. He enjoys reading and history, and attends Festival Church.[31]

Millar has been a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for decades.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Brexit-backing Tory MS reveals he has Irish citizenship". Nation.Cymru. 29 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Darren Millar AM | Working for Clwyd West". www.darrenmillaram.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b "About Darren Millar". Darren Millar. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  4. ^ Powell, David (3 April 2006). "Unions call in watchdog over sick days jibe". North Wales Live. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Election results for Vale of Clwyd, 1 May 2003". senedd.assembly.wales. 1 May 2003.
  6. ^ "Election results for Clwyd West, 3 May 2007". senedd.assembly.wales. 3 May 2007.
  7. ^ "Election results for Clwyd West, 5 May 2011". senedd.assembly.wales. 5 May 2011.
  8. ^ "Election results for Clwyd West, 6 May 2016". senedd.assembly.wales. 6 May 2016.
  9. ^ WalesOnline (4 June 2007). "Bourne names his front benchers". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Two tories reject Bourne offers". BBC News. 27 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  11. ^ Isaby, Jonathan. "Welsh Assembly Tory leader Nick Bourne announces changes to his Shadow Cabinet". ConservativeHome. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  12. ^ Davies, Daniel (26 November 2010). "Tories appoint Morgan to shadow cabinet". Press Association.
  13. ^ "Conservatives announce shadow Welsh cabinet". WalesOnline. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Welsh Conservatives name shadow cabinet". South Wales Argus. 17 May 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  15. ^ WalesOnline (19 July 2011). "Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies unveils shadow cabinet". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Davies names Welsh Conservative assembly spokespeople". BBC News. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  17. ^ "UKIP's Mark Reckless to join Conservatives in assembly". BBC News. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  18. ^ Williamson, David; Mosalski, Ruth (27 June 2018). "The contenders to succeed Andrew RT Davies as Welsh Tory leader". Wales Online. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  19. ^ "New Tory leader reshuffles Senedd team". ITV News. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  20. ^ "COVID-19: Four senior Welsh politicians under investigation over claims they broke lockdown rules". Sky News. 21 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Tory Senedd leader Paul Davies quits over alcohol row". BBC News. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  22. ^ Owen, Twm (4 April 2022). "Report clears politicians of wrongdoing over Senedd drinking". South Wales Argus.
  23. ^ Owen, Cathy (27 May 2021). "Tory MSs who drank in Senedd during alcohol ban get top roles". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  24. ^ "The EU Referendum: My view". Darren Millar AM.
  25. ^ Flint, Rachel (24 June 2016). "EU Referendum: What happens to Wales now after we voted for Brexit?". Daily Post.
  26. ^ "Sharp End March 19th". www.itv.com.
  27. ^ "Motion - NDM8593". Welsh Parliament. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  28. ^ "Vaughan Gething won't quit after losing vote of no confidence". BBC News. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  29. ^ Mansfield, Mark (26 November 2023). "Darren Millar selected as Tory general election candidate for Clwyd North". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  30. ^ "Labour candidate Gill German wins Clwyd North seat by 1,196 votes". Rhyl Journal. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  31. ^ "About Darren". www.darrenmillar.wales. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  32. ^ "AM meets Irish Ambassador". Darren Millar MS.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Darren Millar.
Senedd
Preceded by Member of the Senedd for Clwyd West
2007–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Elin Jones
 Shadow Minister for the Environment
June 2007 – Feb 2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Nick Ramsay
 Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government
Feb 2007 – Nov 2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
David Melding
 Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport
Nov 2010– May 2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
 Shadow Minister for Health
May 2011– July 2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
 Shadow Minister for Health & Social Services
July 2011–2016 		Succeeded by
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